Nineteen-year-old Maia has spent her life haunted by dreams of a man with uniquely brilliant blue eyes. She never expected she’d actually come face-to-face with him, or that he’d be the harbinger of a chaotic new life. But as shocking as meeting Blake is, it’s less unsettling than her sudden ability to adversely affect electronics and seemingly control—even heal—plants.

Before she can figure out what’s happening, Blake’s cryptic warning about the impending approach of something big manifests as a freak earthquake, destroying Maia’s home and killing her parents. Devastated, Maia has no choice but to turn to Blake, where she learns that the earthquake was not as natural as it seemed. The reigning Terra guardian, or Mother Earth, has gone rogue, wiping out her replacements in a series of orchestrated natural disasters around the world—and Maia is next.

Worse, she’s the only one who can stop the Terra guardian from destroying not just Earth, but the fabric of the universe itself. Now, thrust into a world of celestial beings charged with the protection of the universe, Maia must come to terms with her new powers, and the idea that her destiny was shaped long ago. And she must do it all before she faces off with the woman who controls nature itself. Intelligent and thought-provoking, ​A Chosen War​ takes the idea that everything is connected and wraps it in globe-spanning adventure with just a tinge of romance.

Something brushed against the tips of her fingers, accompanied by a tiny electrical shock. Yelping, Maia jumped back, shoving the abused digits into her mouth to suck away the pain. Only then did she notice the azalea bush beside her. It had been entirely barren this morning, way past its bloom, but had since erupted in fresh blossoms. However, it’s sudden flowering wasn’t what had made her heart falter in fear. Now, instead of its typical dark pink flowers, red and white florets also competed for space. Choking back a scream at the waxy perfection of the plants, she ran into the house with images of Disney movie magic scampering along in her mind. Taking the first right turn, Maia careened by her homemade dark room and down the hallway to her bedroom. Slamming the door behind her with a kick of a muddy foot—the clogs abandoned halfway down the hall—Maia stood in the middle of her artistically chaotic---some would argue, messy---sanctuary, staring at her fingers. Maia shook them out, tilting her head back until it met the door behind her with a thud. What was going on? Maia’s chest tightened as she started to hyperventilate, and her stomach responded with another wave of nausea. She hadn’t eaten anything yet that morning, and she shuddered to think what her stomach would produce. “Get a grip,” Maia repeatedly muttered. “Get a freaking grip. I can only control me.” Placing her hands on her knees, Maia tried to sort through the facts. Ok, number one: her father’s illness, two: Beth’s grief and absurd work schedule, three: the long list of missed opportunities of a promising career, and now . . . this? How was she supposed to handle it all? In the next few days, Maia was expecting to hear back on some possible freelance contracts in the area. What she really needed was the money and the exposure, not hallucinations. Sure, crazy made for good art, but Maia wasn’t into the avant-garde. Whatever happened in the garden was a fluke.

Carly Eldridge is the author of ​A Chosen War​ (April 2017). She calls New York City home; the vitality of the metropolis, with its rich history and culture, provides an unending source of inspiration. She can often be found exploring the city, in awe of its always surprising display of art, beauty, and raw American grit.​